can i build a pc for $650?

[i found nemo]

is it possible? my sister is getting her tax returns and i told her that i'd help her build a pc instead of buying a gay ass dell.

requirements:

dual core for sure 256-512kb l2 cache
1 gb
good stable mobo
decent psu
flat screen monitor
hdd
vid card ( or onboard graphix i guess if mobo has it built in )
cd burner
mouse/keyboard
tower
cables ( sata & ide )

this pc will not be intended for o/cing however i may tweak it just a bit.

thank you all so much in advance.

[iadstudio]

sure you can, but for that price OCing and Intel would work better for you. I just planned a couople killer intel builds for under $500 and under $600. I'm sure you could throw a monitor in there and use AMD instead and be under $650. Unfortunately, I don't have any AMD experience so suggestions from me would be worthless to you. sorry.

BTW, my research showed me that AMD based onboard graphics are pretty solid if you want to go that route. That should save you some $

[i found nemo]

yea, any suggestions. i know the intel boys will be here and their suggestions i'd appreciate too but i just feel weird about making 2 threads.

[speedfreak86]

I built a rig for a little over 500 bucks not six months ago for a friend. The hardest thing for me to beat dell with for this price point is their inclusion of an operating system. Fortunately we still get school priced software and it only cost us 5 bucks to get xp pro for it. But it is more than possible to build a nice computer with the specs listed for under 650.

[64dragon]

heres a list i threw together

case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068
psu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341010
board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131172
cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103206
ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145034
vid card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130062
hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136062
burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118003
monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824112177
keyboard & mouse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126174

total comes to $721 but theres around $100 in rebates. also that board does have an onboard gpu so the video card isnt needed but would be better off with one. and the set of ram i choose is 2*1gb chips so thats more than you asked for. i dont know anything about that board or the monitor

[NuCkInFuTz]

I would say 64dragon's suggestions for the keyboard & mouse, motherboard, cpu, and case are spot on. The biggest gripe I would have is that the motherboard doesn't have a 1394a connector on it. If your sister has no need for it, go with 64dragon's motherboard suggestion. I would hold off on the computer for now, as AMD's new IGP chipset is about to come out very soon, and it will offer the performance of a HD2400 easily. That way the graphics won't be lacking for an absolute cheap build.

I will list my own opinions, just for the hell of it.
DVD burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151154
Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068
Hard Drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152022
Monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824112007
MB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131174
PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151038
RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098
CPU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103206
KB & Mouse http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126174
HDMI to DVI-D Cable http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812203029

Total price = $596.90 + $39.07 S&H
All the cables you need included.

I like this route, because you won't have to take a gamble with too many mail in rebates. Though the case has a $25 mail in rebate, which won't put her out too much if they don't accept it.

I'm not sure what you are planning on for an operating system, but an OEM copy of XP home (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116056) should ad about $90 to the price tag.

I don't see any mention about speakers, so I'm not going to bother with them, though I have problems recommending El Cheapo speakers anyway.

To be noted, it cost $769 to customize a Dell system to similar specs, but she would be stuck with Vista taking that route, if that is not what you wanted for her.

[johnanderson]

Check slickdeals.net and you can probably come out much much cheaper.

[iadstudio]

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817256008

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822148290

Two of my suggested components to look at.

[tictac]

Proc : AMD le-1620 = 47
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103198

Mobo : biostar ta-690g = 84.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138057

Memory : 2x1gb kingston 667 : 40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134045

HDD : 160gb sata2 hdd :59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136062

PSU :fsp bluestorm ii 500watT : 89.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104034

CD : dvdrw 20x : 29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151155

Sony floppy drive :7.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16821103116

Logitech keyboard : 7.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126015

Logitech optical mouse : 5.25
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104051

Coolermaster Centurion-5 casing : 44.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119077

LG Wide 19INCH lcd : 224.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005100

TOTAL = USD 643.17

there you go. to tweak it. set ht ref to 300mhz. 3ghz 1mb l2 cache f3.

[i found nemo]

thank you all very much. i promise i'll let u know when i get it. but anymore suggestions is fine too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001094

[i found nemo]

well all parts ordered final total was 700 ~ thanx to you guys. i hope am2 is not much different than k8. how do the 4200+ clock? i think it's a 4200+ cuz it's dual core 2.2ghz 2x512kb.

[Jakalwarrior]

The low end AM2s usually get ~2.9ghz + or - 200 mhz on lowish voltages (though often wont go any higher). The higher end chips which are a different revison clock higher. They are also slower clock per clock than K8 though.
My K8 system at 2.7 with and DDR500 scored only 1 second slower in superpi than my 2.9ghz AM2 with DDR800.

[Shaz]

Yeah the low end ones do clock well, my 3800+ EE does 2.8GHz no problems. Could probably get more if I messed with it a bit further.

[i found nemo]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134045

that ram runs 800 with 2.05 v's so i think it's a pretty good deal. tested it in memtest for 2 hrs. 2t tho, and i dunno how to do the timings... *hint hint*

[p0tter]

Should have given her yours with a fresh install :lol:

[i found nemo]

lmao. true story, but i'm planning on building something way better than hers

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=176026 :)